Empty past tense

Meaning of empty

to remove all the contents or occupants from something.

Infinitive

Word: empty: /ˈɛmpti/

Examples:

1. The room looks empty whenever she leaves.
2. My coffee cup is empty; I need a refill.
3. This box is supposed to be full, but it feels empty.

Past Simple

Word: emptied /ˈemptid/

Examples:

1. The janitor emptied the trash cans before the end of his shift.
2. After the concert, we found that a thirst crowd emptied water bottles.
3. She emptied her backpack on the floor, searching for her lost keys.

Past Participle

Word: emptied /ˈɛmptid/

Examples:

1. The room had been emptied by the cleaners before we arrived.
2. All the trash bins were emptied early in the morning.
3. By noon, the auditorium had been completely emptied of spectators.

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Bare infinitive

To describe habitual actions or routines involving the removal of contents or occupants from something.
Example. She empties the trash bin every night.
Example. This machine automatically empties its collection basket when full.
Example. To clean the room, first empty the drawers and sort through your belongings.
To state facts or general truths about the capacity or action of emptying.
Example. She empties the trash bin every night.
Example. This machine automatically empties its collection basket when full.
Example. To clean the room, first empty the drawers and sort through your belongings.
To give instructions or advice regarding the process of removing contents.
Example. She empties the trash bin every night.
Example. This machine automatically empties its collection basket when full.
Example. To clean the room, first empty the drawers and sort through your belongings.

Past Simple

To talk about a specific instance in the past when all the contents or occupants were removed from something.
Example. They emptied the pool for cleaning last summer.
Example. After the event, we emptied the hall and cleaned up until midnight.
Example. We used to empty the storage room at the end of each month to check inventory.
To describe a series of actions in the past involving the removal of contents or occupants.
Example. They emptied the pool for cleaning last summer.
Example. After the event, we emptied the hall and cleaned up until midnight.
Example. We used to empty the storage room at the end of each month to check inventory.
To express a past habit or state of removing contents that is no longer current.
Example. They emptied the pool for cleaning last summer.
Example. After the event, we emptied the hall and cleaned up until midnight.
Example. We used to empty the storage room at the end of each month to check inventory.

Past Participle

Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of removing all contents or occupants that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.
Example. The building was emptied before the demolition.
Example (Present Perfect). She has already emptied the dishwasher this morning.
Example. The building was emptied before the demolition.
Example (Past Perfect). By the time we arrived, they had already emptied the apartment.
Example. The building was emptied before the demolition.
Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on something from which contents or occupants have been removed, rather than who removed them.
Example. The building was emptied before the demolition.

Common mistakes

— 01

Retaining the 'y'

One common mistake is failing to apply the rule for verbs ending in 'y' and instead simply adding 'ed' to the base form without changing the 'y' to 'i.' This results in the incorrect 'emptyed' instead of the correct 'emptied.' This mistake typically arises from either unfamiliarity with the rule or its misapplication.

— 02

Using the Base Form

Another frequent error involves using the base form 'empty' instead of the past simple or past participle form 'emptied' in sentences that refer to past events. For instance, saying 'Yesterday, I empty the bin' instead of the correct 'Yesterday, I emptied the bin.' This indicates a misunderstanding of the need to adjust the verb form to align with the tense required by the sentence context.

— 03

Mispronunciation

While not a written mistake, a common spoken error is mispronouncing 'emptied' (/ˈemptid/). Learners might incorrectly emphasize or distort the vowel sounds, leading to variations that do not match the standard pronunciation. This could be due to difficulties in transitioning from the 'y' sound in 'empty' to the 'i' sound in 'emptied,' or simply from not being familiar with the pronunciation of the past tense form.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'empty'?

The past simple form of 'empty' is 'emptied.' It is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I emptied the trash can.'

How do I use the past participle form of 'empty'?

The past participle form of 'empty' is also 'emptied.' It is used in perfect tenses and passive voice sentences. For instance, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'I have emptied the bin.' In a passive voice sentence, you could say, 'The bin was emptied by me.'

Can you give an example of a sentence using 'empty' in the past simple tense?

Yes, of course. An example of a sentence using 'empty' in the past simple tense is. 'She emptied her cup and asked for a refill.' This sentence indicates that the action of emptying the cup occurred at a specific moment in the past.

What's an example of a sentence using the past participle form of 'empty'?

An example of using the past participle form of 'empty' would be in a present perfect tense sentence, such as 'They have already emptied the pool for cleaning.' This sentence suggests that the action of emptying the pool has been completed at some point before now, but the exact timing is not specified.